SHAZAM! A Christian Mom Review

Should You Take Your Kids?

Shazam! Zachary Levi! This was my sole reason for seeing this film. I love Zachary Levi in everything he has been in. However, I am not a huge superhero fan. But Zachary Levi! Besides a couple of trailers, I make sure not to watch or read anything else regarding films that I review. I rarely know who directs a film, where it was filmed, or what the critics have said before I walk in the theater. After I finish my review and post it, I then start to read what other people have said. So SHAZAM! A Christian Mom review is from the heart and not influenced by other reviews in any way. Read my criteria and how I review movies.

I do have to mention that as I watched this movie, that I began to remember a television show from the 1970s based on the character of Shazam. I don’t know why I watched it, but I remember seeing it weekly. You can actually watch the Shazam show on DCOnline

FACTS ABOUT CAPTAIN MARVEL AND SHAZAM:

From Business Insider: “Captain Marvel was another hero that made his debut in “Whiz Comics #2” 1939 published by Fawcett Comics. It featured a 12-year-old orphaned newsboy named Billy Batson who can transform into an adult superhero by shouting one word. Captain Marvel became an instant success, launching his own new independent series “Captain Marvel Adventures,” which would later go on to sell more copies than “Superman.” In fact, for a while, Captain Marvel was the most popular superhero of the time, so popular that it became the first superhero ever to be adapted into a motion picture.”

Eventually, because Fawcett Comics was sued by the makers of Superman, they ceased to exist. A new publication picked up the name Marvel after Fawcett Comics abandoned it. And DC Comics acquired Shazam, and he began to go by the word he said when he changed from boy to superhero and back again.

Synopsis of SHAZAM! (2019) Movie:

Shazam was the original Captain Marvel. But in this movie (due to the above lawsuit), he is nameless. He is called many things, but the name that seems to stick is Captain Sparkle Fingers. 

It is Christmas time in 1974, and Thaddeus Sivana is traveling with his father and brother. Magically, he finds himself at the Rock of Eternity where he encounters the wizard Shazam. The Wizard is looking for a person who is pure of heart to pass his magic on. Thad is drawn to the eye of Envy and fails the test. He is returned to his car, and he causes an accident that injures his father.

Present day, Philadelphia: A young Billy Batson (Asher Angel), age 14, is searching for his mother. He is arrested and put in another foster home, however, he still is certain that his mother wants him back. Through a series of events, Billy Batson becomes Shazam (Zachary Levi) and Sivana is his arch nemesis. Will Billy find his mother? Does Billy learn the real meaning of family? Will Shazam save the world? 

THE GOOD:

Zachary Levi and Asher Angel are both excellent in the roles. When Billy becomes Shazam, he still has the mind of a 14-year old which Levi captures perfectly. 

This movie has a great storyline. It is funny with laugh out loud moments. And did I happen to mention Zachary Levi?

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW:

This film is rated PG-13 and fully deserves that rating. It is intense and the scenes with the seven deadly sins (which are represented as ugly creatures) are ugly and scary. My 14 year old (who is autistic) was extremely bothered and agitated by these scenes. He buried his head in my side and covered his ears. However, even my 16-year-old son was bothered by these scenes.

There are numerous instances of people being bullied. Some of this film is set in a school setting, and there are kids that are less than kind. 

VIOLENCE:

There is a lot of violence in this movie. There is a car accident in the beginning of the movie. One person has their head bitten off by one of the deadly sins and is thrown through a window. Several people are shown being killed. A woman disintegrates. In addition to violence, there is plenty of peril – for instance, a bus is shown hanging off a bridge, and people slam into the front window of the bus.

LANGUAGE:

There is plenty of foul language. Dick is said. Sh-t, a-s, and h-ll are each said numerous times. There are also phrases said, such as “sucks balls,” “Oh my g-d,” “butt crack.” Additionally, when a young boy angers his father, the dad says, “You miserable little sh-t, you could have killed us.” In one scene, the f word is repeatedly bleeped out.

OTHER ITEMS OF CONCERN:

Shazam goes into a Gentleman’s Club. The outside of the club is shown. In another scene, Shazam transports himself and a group of children/teens to the Gentlemen’s Club. Again, just the outside is shown, but there are comments made. One male teen says, “That is not my scene,” and the implication is he is gay. 

In addition, Shazam and a teen go into a convenience store to buy beer. They are shown tasting the beer and spitting it out.

Someone flips the finger. The scene where Billy loses his mom is shown, and this can be traumatic to some children.

MORE THINGS TO KNOW:

Stay until the end – the very end. There is more than one extra scene throughout the credits. 

MOMENTS FOR TEACHING:

While there are plenty of moments for teaching within this film: Bullying, what family means, the use of power to get what you want, etc., there are a few key elements that I think are great teachable items. In the movie, they use disgusting creatures to represent the 7 deadly sins. While the 7 deadly sins (greed, pride, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth) are not listed in a list in the Bible, they are all things that are sinful. However, they are not unforgivable. Talk about what each sin is, and how those sins look in our lives. Also, discuss how giving into those sins consumes a person. 

Another item for teaching is the pure heart. What does God say about a pure heart? Did Shazam actually have a pure heart? Obviously, as a Christian, we believe that all are sinners except Jesus Christ, but there are certainly sinners that ran after God and were considered righteous even though they fell short. 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

While there is plenty of content to be aware of, and I am conservative of my movie viewing (I rarely see a PG-13 movie), I liked this movie. Zachary Levi is an actor that always brings his A-game. If you like him, you will love this movie. But this movie is definitely not for children. It is intense. You may be thinking that your child can handle it, but I urge you to err on the side of caution. Some of these scenes would give sensitive adults nightmares. Because of the violence, evil depicted, and language, my age recommendations is 12-13 and up.

I look forward to seeing more of Shazam in the future, and they certainly left the door open for more from this once-forgotten superhero.